The Helo is Getting me Out of the Saddle

[Westdesign03]

Same dude. Same. I think I got caught up in all of that on these boards. I’m a tinkerer at heart and something about tinkering draws people to this method of hunting. This is a very gear heavy forum compared to other hunting forums out there. After 4 seasons tinkering im no better off and that was a gut check I had to come to terms with this season. At the end of the day I spent time in the woods which is all that matters but I could have spent more had I not been fooling with all the stuff that comes with a saddle.

Oh yeah man. Again same here. The last 2 seasons at least and this season, I’m seeing the same pattern with my hunting. Being much more focused on the gear than actually hunting, ashamed to say. I love to tinker too but I have to keep it in check. I’m trying to find those few pieces of foundation gear that much less likely to change for me. I think I’m getting there and the Helo stand is one of those for me. I get a little closer to “where I should be” in terms of focusing my efforts each season, but it’s still a work in progress.


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[BuffaloBill]

Don't think I've related more to any thread here. I go back and forth on using a saddle vs. a stand. I think I'm like others and have just gotten into tinkering with my setup more than actually using it for it's intended purpose. I picked up a Recon recently and should have an EDP tomorrow. I'm making it work for me or just going back solely to a stand. I liked the whole idea of saddle hunting ever since I watched a First Lite video with Taylor Chamberlain a few years ago. I'd heard of a tree saddle before that but it was still a pretty niche thing. With some of the lighter stands/sticks on the market now the appeal has lessened for me. There are still situations where a saddle setup is applicable. But hang ons aren't obsolete and I don't understand when people sell all of theirs off when they get a saddle. When sone newer hang one are barely heavier than some saddle platforms, what are you gaining unless you go super minimalist? Sometimes I envy dudes that just use the same Summit climber every year and don't think twice about grabbing it. Like others have mentioned, I also don't necessarily like staring at a tree all day. I'm also tired of buying and reselling things. Especially with the cost of shipping going up.

Same dude. Same. I think I got caught up in all of that on these boards. I’m a tinkerer at heart and something about tinkering draws people to this method of hunting. This is a very gear heavy forum compared to other hunting forums out there. After 4 seasons tinkering im no better off and that was a gut check I had to come to terms with this season. At the end of the day I spent time in the woods which is all that matters but I could have spent more had I not been fooling with all the stuff that comes with a saddle.

I wholeheartedly agree. I need to spend less mental energy on screwing around with my setup every year and spend more on scouting and getting in the woods. This forum is a lot of gear talk and I think that fuels the neverending gear buying/purging cycle.

 

[Maverick1]

I sleep better in the saddle. Just lower myself into the sitting position, rest my head against the bridge, and it's lights out. Very easy to do.

When I was using a treestand with a larger platform (such as a LW Alpha) I used to move my person from sitting on the 'seat' to sitting on the 'platform' - and that was nice. But, repositioning myself onto the platform to take a nap is nearly impossible to do with a smaller platform, such as the beast stand or .5 stand. Not going to happen wearing of bibs and parka.

I generally don't sleep during all day sits, but I do when there isn't much mid-day action (such as the days leading up to the seeking phase of the rut), I'm hunting out of state and find it pointless to hike back to the vehicle and just sit there, or I want to be in the same place in the evening as in the morning.

So, the saddle is definitely better for sleeping.


Other than that, the footprint of a saddle platform or ROS is generally smaller profile than a hang-on treestand; the weight is a couple pounds less, but - as others have noted - treestands have come a long way in the last couple of years, and the weight difference is maybe a couple of pounds.

It generally takes a little bit more effort to hang a treestand with two cam buckles vs. a platform or ROS, but it is not much.

But climbing sticks are climbing sticks. Need them whether I use the saddle or the treestand.

Almost all of the other gear is very similar if not the same. Pull up rope for bow. Binoculars. Grunt tube. Gloves. Hat. Knife. Headlamp.

Backpack is slightly different. The backpacks I have are slightly different, since they are hauling different shaped platforms and I pack them different.

And the saddle is comparable in weight to a treestand safety harness. Not significantly different.

So, pick whichever one you prefer. I go back and forth, depending on the weather, how far I'm hiking in, what I'm wearing, etc.

I have two complete mobile setups ready to go and in the vehicle. If I want to saddle hunt, I grab the pack with all my saddle gear in it. If I want to treestand hunt, I grab the pack with my treestand, sticks, and gear inside of it and go. Easy.

Kind of got tired of moving gear back and forth between the two backpacks, just figured it was less hassle to buy a second grunt tube, release, pull up rope, etc. The two sets of climbing sticks was a bit expensive, and choosing to double up on almost of every piece of gear was too, but it gives me flexibility to hunt and keep things new and interesting. So, I don't have to pick! Enjoy them both.

 

[Plebe]

The seats on stands like LW, Novix, Beast, LWCG are torture to sit on IMO. I’m much more comfortable in my Flex.

If I HAD to give up the saddle, I’d go with the M7 or change the seat on one of those other stands to the mesh aftermarket deal.

But, combining such stands with a saddle makes the most sense to me if you’re trending towards a stand.

 

[josh9284]

I think they are all just tools for a hunt. Have a lone wolf climber, yes the seat sucks and is uncomfortable, have a saddle and it is not very comfortable either, sometimes sit on the ground and that is not comfortable! Lesson here......hunting is hunting, if I'm trying to relax I should be at home, if I need or want a nap I should be in bed. At no point am I comfortable but that keeps my brain and eyes on alert. I always thought we were in the woods to hunt! I do have to admitt I enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than actually hunting, but I can't say that too loud or wife mite get mad about all the new gear I keep buying and just give me a longer hunny do list to keep me busy instead of complaining about the hunt or the deer or other hunters!

 

[Jim DeSantis]

This was my second year using a saddle. I wasn't comfortable for very long in mine and admittedly I only used a tiny scout platform. Thought and read alot and bought a LWCG .5. Thoughts were it isn't much more wait than a back pack or platform and I can sit if I want. My preferred method is facing the tree, knees on flipped seat pad with a back band. Very comfortable and plenty of room. Really like this and if the situation dictates I can sit and face away from the tree if needed.

 

[Plebe]

I think they are all just tools for a hunt. Have a lone wolf climber, yes the seat sucks and is uncomfortable, have a saddle and it is not very comfortable either, sometimes sit on the ground and that is not comfortable! Lesson here......hunting is hunting, if I'm trying to relax I should be at home, if I need or want a nap I should be in bed. At no point am I comfortable but that keeps my brain and eyes on alert. I always thought we were in the woods to hunt! I do have to admitt I enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than actually hunting, but I can't say that too loud or wife mite get mad about all the new gear I keep buying and just give me a longer hunny do list to keep me busy instead of complaining about the hunt or the deer or other hunters!

Managing temperatures is what causes me discomfort sometimes. And dragging deer uphill.

I get pretty comfortable often enough with my saddle/stand setups though.

But I agree, at some point you deal with whatever and hunt.

 

[will4554]

I’ll take a stand and two sticks anytime. I have a couple of saddles. They’re for extreme niche situations. A quality hang on is just much more versatile.

 

[brydan]

I need to spend less mental energy on screwing around with my setup every year and spend more on scouting and getting in the woods. This forum is a lot of gear talk and I think that fuels the neverending gear buying/purging cycle.

The gear thing is out of control. It's not just hunting, every hobby's the same these days. The best thing is to get off the hamster wheel and just be content. Spend the time outdoors doing stuff instead of online buying stuff.

 

[Plebe]

The gear thing is out of control. It's not just hunting, every hobby's the same these days. The best thing is to get off the hamster wheel and just be content. Spend the time outdoors doing stuff instead of online buying stuff.

if buying stuff is inhibiting hunting, then there’s a problem.

I’ve been buying stuff that help me hunt more and better.

 

[josh9284]

if buying stuff is inhibiting hunting, then there’s a problem.

I’ve been buying stuff that help me hunt more and better

The only problem is there is always thinking that the new gear will make hunting easier or better. Gone are the days of hunting, and replaced by dreams of a better system instead of the hunt.

 

[philsanchez76]

I’ve definitely had my share of saddle frustration over the past 3 years I’ve been using my kestrel. Went to the dryad this year and loved it! I still hunt lock ons and ladder stands from time to time on my friends property and my lower back just cannot take it. My back and core always feel great in the saddle. For this reason I can never be a stand hunter again. But that’s just my physiology yours may differ.

 

[gumby]

I think there is a place and time for all (platform, loc-on, climber) but the safety of wearing a saddle for all three uses is an important issue to me.

 

[tarafrost]

As a newbie getting into saddle hunting, this thread makes me wonder if I'm going down the wrong path!

Like many here, I'm a gear-nut, so even if saddle hunting doesn't become my go to thing down the road, I look forward to the journey, the learning and the gear accumulation. LOL

 

[Plebe]

The only problem is there is always thinking that the new gear will make hunting easier or better. Gone are the days of hunting, and replaced by dreams of a better system instead of the hunt.

I guess this is a trap for others?

New gear has made hunting easier and better for me.

It doesn’t hunt for me, it facilitates my hunts.

As I’ve aged I can’t do what I used to, if it weren’t for upgrading gear, I’d be more limited for sure.

My ability to hunt where and how I like just keeps getting better

 

[Bigterp]

Don't think I've related more to any thread here. I go back and forth on using a saddle vs. a stand. I think I'm like others and have just gotten into tinkering with my setup more than actually using it for it's intended purpose. I picked up a Recon recently and should have an EDP tomorrow. I'm making it work for me or just going back solely to a stand. I liked the whole idea of saddle hunting ever since I watched a First Lite video with Taylor Chamberlain a few years ago. I'd heard of a tree saddle before that but it was still a pretty niche thing. With some of the lighter stands/sticks on the market now the appeal has lessened for me. There are still situations where a saddle setup is applicable. But hang ons aren't obsolete and I don't understand when people sell all of theirs off when they get a saddle. When sone newer hang one are barely heavier than some saddle platforms, what are you gaining unless you go super minimalist? Sometimes I envy dudes that just use the same Summit climber every year and don't think twice about grabbing it. Like others have mentioned, I also don't necessarily like staring at a tree all day. I'm also tired of buying and reselling things. Especially with the cost of shipping going up.



I wholeheartedly agree. I need to spend less mental energy on screwing around with my setup every year and spend more on scouting and getting in the woods. This forum is a lot of gear talk and I think that fuels the neverending gear buying/purging cycle.

This place is super gear heavy! At the end of the day you have to have a way up a tree & stay perched there then a weapon to kill deer. That’s all! Everything else is hobby/tinkering. Plus a lot of focus is spent on the “perfected system “ I’ve come to find that matters alot less than I used to think. Just be quiet, efficient, relatively comfortable & shoot stuff!

 

[MattMan81]

Tree stand with sticks does not have much variation from stand to stand.. size, weight, height of seat. Pad thickness for comfort. There are only so many variations you can come up with. They don't change much either.
Saddle.... where to start. The options are there to tinker with. Everything from how you can get up the tree, to how you sit in the tree. The combinations are endless which makes you think it can always be better. Easier? Which is some of the fun.
Some days I miss climbing a ladder stand. Some days I dont.
I think the question you have to ask your self is. Which way do you find the most enjoyable? Then do that.

 

[MNMosquitoAssassin]

You can still hunt out of a saddle on a loc on stand... I just lengthen my tether and have it go across my chest and over one of my shoulders, usually my left shoulder, in front of me, as I'm sitting with my back to the tree. I usually keep it just long enough to be able to stand up and shoot. As I'm standing I usually kind lean against the bridge against my chest to take any slack out of it, but I also have a ropeman on my tether so if I need to just tighten it up quick I can grab the end and give her a little yank up. Or if I flip around and face the tree I can either hunt by standing on the seat or platform of the stand.

 

[Topdog]

In every sport not just hunting people will always try and compensate for inabilities with their wallet and gimmicks, gadgets, etc. The real problems begin when people who are just starting out hunting, learning still, and head down the path of youtube and social media buying into every BS piece of gear known to man, I can see why, I find myself being caught up in some of the same stuff and I have hunted longer than most of these people trying to push products have been alive. Here is the real secret to being a “great deer hunter”, time, you need lots of free time, and without that buying whatever is being pushed online by the hunting personality flavor of the week will get you nothing. That being said a good hunter buying better gear to improve his chances, enhance his comfort, and enable more time in the woods is real and can be done, the problem for most while researching online for new gear and stuff is separating the BS from reality, that can be a challenge and I completely understand why in todays world. The simple answer is regional differences, we as hunters will never agree on anything, some people ride atvs 100 yards to a tree in 80* temps while others walk 4 miles one way through 12” of snow, or so they say. I can say a saddle has changed my hunting forever in a positive way, my lower back issues are such a I can’t sit in a normal chair for more then 10 minutes and I feel pain, a tree stand yea right. A saddle allows me to sit several hours in comfort, and because I hunted from stands for so long, standing, a hybrid system of small stand or large platform with a saddle is king for me, the learning curve was short, yes I bought and sold a pile of stuff to get there, I don’t care I’m now dialed in and read about new stuff for fun, and if I want something yes I will buy it, I also drive a ten year old truck when most in my position would be driving a $50k new vehicle, to each their own I guess. Deer season is done for most by now, this is a great time to sit down and think about what really made an impact during your season, what worked, what was a waste of time, who cares what anybody else likes, it’s what works for you that’s most important, dump the extra stuff in the classifieds and eat the $20-$30.

 

[Mr. Vince]

In every sport not just hunting people will always try and compensate for inabilities with their wallet and gimmicks, gadgets, etc. The real problems begin when people who are just starting out hunting, learning still, and head down the path of youtube and social media buying into every BS piece of gear known to man, I can see why, I find myself being caught up in some of the same stuff and I have hunted longer than most of these people trying to push products have been alive. Here is the real secret to being a “great deer hunter”, time, you need lots of free time, and without that buying whatever is being pushed online by the hunting personality flavor of the week will get you nothing. That being said a good hunter buying better gear to improve his chances, enhance his comfort, and enable more time in the woods is real and can be done, the problem for most while researching online for new gear and stuff is separating the BS from reality, that can be a challenge and I completely understand why in todays world. The simple answer is regional differences, we as hunters will never agree on anything, some people ride atvs 100 yards to a tree in 80* temps while others walk 4 miles one way through 12” of snow, or so they say. I can say a saddle has changed my hunting forever in a positive way, my lower back issues are such a I can’t sit in a normal chair for more then 10 minutes and I feel pain, a tree stand yea right. A saddle allows me to sit several hours in comfort, and because I hunted from stands for so long, standing, a hybrid system of small stand or large platform with a saddle is king for me, the learning curve was short, yes I bought and sold a pile of stuff to get there, I don’t care I’m now dialed in and read about new stuff for fun, and if I want something yes I will buy it, I also drive a ten year old truck when most in my position would be driving a $50k new vehicle, to each their own I guess. Deer season is done for most by now, this is a great time to sit down and think about what really made an impact during your season, what worked, what was a waste of time, who cares what anybody else likes, it’s what works for you that’s most important, dump the extra stuff in the classifieds and eat the $20-$30.

You Shut down the thread after this comment . I I could hear the battle hymn of republic being whistled in the background as I was reading this


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